Polearm Master Eldritch Blaster (CHA/STR based quad-multiclass without extra attack)

[Remover of Obst]

So I picked up a Xanathar's Guide to Everything and got to read it a bit last night. After taking a look at a few of the new abilities, I wanted to get a build written out to grab a lot of features that look fun.


Fun stuff I would like to have...

Variant Human
Polearm Master

Warlock
Hex
Repelling Blast (the big draw for me with this build)
Agonizing Blast
Eldritch Smite (balanced from UA, now 1d8 per level, warlock slot only and knocks PRONE)
Hexblade (shield early is nice, the curse looks good but has limited uptime)
(I could see this build working fine with Dark One)

Fighter
Con save
Heavy Armor
All the weapons
Fighting Style - Close Combat Shooter (Unearthed Arcana Light, Dark, Underdark!)
(Check with your DM if they allow this - pretty key to this build, maybe drop fighter if not an option at your table)
ACTION SURGE! (More burst or an oh crap button. Optionally, you could skip if you prefer more spell slots and bigger, badder spells.)

Paladin
Divine Sense (might be useful, I guess)
Lay on Hands (nice to have)
Fighting Style - Defense (I really like getting +1 AC)
Divine Spellcasting - Bless, Heroism, Cure Wounds
Divine Smite (another draw for me)

Sorcerer
More spell slots
Meta Magic - Quickened Spell
Darkvision 120' - Shadow Magic which seems on theme
Darkness for 2 sorcerer points and mini-devil's sight


Fun stuff that I am willing to pass on for this build...

Dex :(

Extra Attack

Warlock - Devil's Sight :(

Fighter Level 3 to 8 - Martial Archetype, ASIs

Paladin Levels 3 to 8 - Lots of good stuff there, oh well

Sorcerer - high level spells known, more sorcerer points and more spell slots


Fun stuff I might consider

Fighter Level 3
Eldritch Knight gets you two more cantrips and three level 1 spells known and can't be disarmed.
If you take Fighter 2, you don't lose out on multiclass spell slot progression.
Weapon Bond kind of overlaps with Blade Pact, but is thematically on point.

Battle Master will cost you a level of spell progression, but has some interesting options.
You can get Riposte, Pushing Attack, and Precision Attack.
Riposte help use our Reaction when Polearm Master would not apply and more damage.
Pushing Attack helps set up Polearm Master and general bouncing bad guys around which is fun and more damage.
Precision Attack - because missing is not fun.


Goal
I am looking to make a ranged character that bounces enemies around and uses Polearm Master to punish anything that gets close.
If you use Eldritch Smite with the opportunity attack from Polearm Master to knock prone combined with a bit of correct positioning, you may be able to prevent an enemy from getting to you without having to taking the Sentinel Feat. Now I only plan on getting two warlock spell slots, so use with care.

Based on some searching, it appears that smites stack. So burn the non-warlock spell slots if you need/want to.

Hopefully cantrips combined with a few sorcerer points will let you coast through a few encounters and leave spell slots open for smiting when needed. Keep in mind that a well used spell will probably out perform nuking a charging, bloodied goblin with a halberd. But where is the fun in that?


Build Progression
(Still working this out, maybe push Fighter 2 back or skip?)
1 - Fighter 1
2 - Warlock 1
3 - Warlock 2
4 - Fighter 2 (?)
5 - Warlock 3
6 - Warlock 4*
7 - Warlock 5
8 - Sorcerer 1
9 - Sorcerer 2
10 - Sorcerer 3
11 - Sorcerer 4*
12 - Paladin 1
13 - Paladin 2
14 - Sorcerer 5
15 - Sorcerer 6
16 - Sorcerer 7
17 - Sorcerer 8*
18 - Sorcerer 9
19 - Sorcerer 10
20 - Sorcerer 11

Close Combat Shooter boosts your ranged spell attack and makes it easier to accept not getting your CHA to 20 until level 11.


Please let me know if you have any comments or corrections if I messed something up.


I am looking for insight into how fun (or useful) Action Surge and Hexblade are. Feel free to post your opinions on double smiting either as crazy wasteful or crazy fun.

[utopus]

Why not take war caster, to OA with an EB with repelling blast? That should be able to keep baddies away without conferring disadvantage due to being within 5 ft

[Avonar]

Slight problem:

A Polearm Master OA has to be with a polearm. Can't War Caster it. Which if you think about it does make sense.

You'd probably be best going Hexblade and taking Polearm Master/Sentinel feats, then the various Eldritch Blast invocations.

[utopus]

Slight problem:

A Polearm Master OA has to be with a polearm. Can't War Caster it. Which if you think about it does make sense.

Source? Couldn't find anything regarding this in errata.
https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/102161/can-warlock-with-the-polearm-master-and-war-caster-feats-cast-eldritch-blast-as

[prototype00]

Here:

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2014/09/16/polearm-caster/

[MeeposFire]

Slight problem:

A Polearm Master OA has to be with a polearm. Can't War Caster it. Which if you think about it does make sense.

You'd probably be best going Hexblade and taking Polearm Master/Sentinel feats, then the various Eldritch Blast invocations.

Right and then wrong in this answer. You are correct that you are supposed to use a polearm with polearm master but while EB does not use a polearm booming blade does and so is usable with war caster.

[MeeposFire]

Here:

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2014/09/16/polearm-caster/

Note that this ruling does not prevent the use of booming blade. He just requires the weapon to be used not that you cannot use a spell at all.

[Zene]

FYI: Mearls tweets are not Official Rulings. Only Jeremy Crawford’s are.

[prototype00]

Note that this ruling does not prevent the use of booming blade. He just requires the weapon to be used not that you cannot use a spell at all.

Booming Blade has other issues (the attack is made at 10ft which is further than the range of Booming Blade) so you’ll need to take Spell Sniper which is how many feats now you’ve taken?

[MeeposFire]

Booming Blade has other issues (the attack is made at 10ft which is further than the range of Booming Blade) so you’ll need to take Spell Sniper which is how many feats now you’ve taken?

Or you could just make your attack at 5 feet, if required use the classic quarterstaff. 10 feet has advantages of course but as you say there is a cost for that in spell sniper but really the whole point is that it does work but it really only works on 1 or two spells so far (some people allow for GFB sometimes requiring that it only affects one target but personally I do not think it counts and so only booming blade works IMO).

[Throne12]

So I picked up a Xanathar's Guide to Everything and got to read it a bit last night. After taking a look at a few of the new abilities, I wanted to get a build written out to grab a lot of features that look fun.

Fun stuff I would like to have...

Variant Human
Polearm Master

Warlock
Hex
Repelling Blast (the big draw for me with this build)
Agonizing Blast
Eldritch Smite (balanced from UA, now 1d8 per level, warlock slot only and knocks PRONE)
Hexblade (shield early is nice, the curse looks good but has limited uptime)
(I could see this build working fine with Dark One)

Fighter
Con save
Heavy Armor
All the weapons
Fighting Style - Close Combat Shooter (Unearthed Arcana Light, Dark, Underdark!)
(Check with your DM if they allow this - pretty key to this build, maybe drop fighter if not an option at your table)
ACTION SURGE! (More burst or an oh crap button. Optionally, you could skip if you prefer more spell slots and bigger, badder spells.)

Paladin
Divine Sense (might be useful, I guess)
Lay on Hands (nice to have)
Fighting Style - Defense (I really like getting +1 AC)
Divine Spellcasting - Bless, Heroism, Cure Wounds
Divine Smite (another draw for me)

Sorcerer
More spell slots
Meta Magic - Quickened Spell
Darkvision 120' - Shadow Magic which seems on theme
Darkness for 2 sorcerer points and mini-devil's sight


Fun stuff that I am willing to pass on for this build...

Dex :(

Extra Attack

Warlock - Devil's Sight :(

Fighter Level 3 to 8 - Martial Archetype, ASIs

Paladin Levels 3 to 8 - Lots of good stuff there, oh well

Sorcerer - high level spells known, more sorcerer points and more spell slots


Goal
I am looking to make a ranged character that bounces enemies around and uses Polearm Master to punish anything that gets close.
If you use Eldritch Smite with the opportunity attack from Polearm Master to knock prone combined with a bit of correct positioning, you may be able to prevent an enemy from getting to you without having to taking the Sentinel Feat. Now I only plan on getting two warlock spell slots, so use with care.

Based on some searching, it appears that smites stack. So burn the non-warlock spell slots if you need/want to.

Hopefully cantrips combined with a few sorcerer points will let you coast through a few encounters and leave spell slots open for smiting when needed. Keep in mind that a well used spell will probably out perform nuking a charging, bloodied goblin with a halberd. But where is the fun in that?


Build Progression
(Still working this out, maybe push Fighter 2 back or skip?)
1 - Fighter 1
2 - Warlock 1
3 - Warlock 2
4 - Fighter 2 (?)
5 - Warlock 3
6 - Warlock 4*
7 - Warlock 5
8 - Sorcerer 1
9 - Sorcerer 2
10 - Sorcerer 3
11 - Sorcerer 4*
12 - Paladin 1
13 - Paladin 2
14 - Sorcerer 5
15 - Sorcerer 6
16 - Sorcerer 7
17 - Sorcerer 8*
18 - Sorcerer 9
19 - Sorcerer 10
20 - Sorcerer 11

Close Combat Shooter boosts your ranged spell attack and makes it easier to accept not getting your CHA to 20 until level 11.


Please let me know if you have any comments or corrections if I messed something up.


I am looking for insight into how fun (or useful) Action Surge and Hexblade are. Feel free to post your opinions on double smiting either as crazy wasteful or crazy fun.

Sooo what are you trying to do with a unholy monster of a build this is?

[DivisibleByZero]

FYI: Mearls tweets are not Official Rulings. Only Jeremy Crawford’s are.

And JC agrees (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/580139521498480640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sageadvice.eu%2F2015%2F0 9%2F19%2Fwar-caster-feat%2F).

[Easy_Lee]

Here:

https://www.sageadvice.eu/2014/09/16/polearm-caster/

That's not unreasonable, but it is just a ruling. PM Warcaster with Agonizing Repelling Blast is a concept as old as 5e, and has been hotly debated.

Do note, OP, that you can do the above on a pure variant human Hexblade-blade starting at level 4 if your DM allows the combination. That starts working much earlier.

[Remover of Obst]

Sooo what are you trying to do with a unholy monster of a build this is?

Blast away with cantrips/spells on my turn and use my reaction to melee when possible.

I am envisioning that I could be positioned near a tank and knock things prone for them and try to use Eldritch Blast with Close Quarters Shooter to move melee monsters back to reset for an OA when they move back in.
If I stack behind the tank I would have half cover against my OA attacks, but ignore half cover within 30' for Eldritch Blast.
Looks like there is a fair amount of utility to be picked up as well. Would be able to have a bit of emergency healing at higher levels to get someone back up.


Goal
I am looking to make a ranged character that bounces enemies around and uses Polearm Master to punish anything that gets close.
If you use Eldritch Smite with the opportunity attack from Polearm Master to knock prone combined with a bit of correct positioning, you may be able to prevent an enemy from getting to you without having to taking the Sentinel Feat. Now I only plan on getting two warlock spell slots, so use with care.

Based on some searching, it appears that smites stack. So burn the non-warlock spell slots if you need/want to.

Hopefully cantrips combined with a few sorcerer points will let you coast through a few encounters and leave spell slots open for smiting when needed. Keep in mind that a well used spell will probably out perform nuking a charging, bloodied goblin with a halberd. But where is the fun in that?

[Remover of Obst]

That's not unreasonable, but it is just a ruling. PM Warcaster with Agonizing Repelling Blast is a concept as old as 5e, and has been hotly debated.

Do note, OP, that you can do the above on a pure variant human Hexblade-blade starting at level 4 if your DM allows the combination. That starts working much earlier.

Yah, I just reread Hexblade and saw that you can use CHA instead for 2 handers with blade pact.

Still like Fighter for fighter style and possible action surge... But you are right. That would be easier/faster.

[Remover of Obst]

Unholy monster of a build - revision 2

Now with more fun, more master, more dis-function (and Sentinel Feat based on more reasonable recommendations above).
Full disclosure - this is not meant to be an optimal build.

Variant Human - Polearm Master
1 - Fighter 1
Fighting Style - Close Quarters Shooter
2 - Warlock 1
Hexblade
3 - Warlock 2
Agonizing Blast
Repelling Blast
4 - Warlock 3
5 - Warlock 4* Sentinel
6 - Warlock 5
Pact of the Blade
Eldritch Smite
7 - Fighter 2
8 - Fighter 3
Battle Master
Pushing Attack
Riposte
Precision Attack
Artisan Tool - Poisoner’s Kit
9 - Fighter 4* +2 CHA
10 - Sorcerer 1
Shadow Magic
(or Divine Soul - Favored by the Gods)
11 - Sorcerer 2
12 - Sorcerer 3
Quickened Spell
Distant Spell
13 - Sorcerer 4* +2 CHA
14 - Paladin 1
15 - Paladin 2
Fighting - Style Defense
16 - Sorcerer 5
17 - Sorcerer 6
18 - Sorcerer 7
19 - Sorcerer 8* +2 CON/Feat?
20 - Sorcerer 9

Hit them on their turn via Polearm Master, Sentinel or Riposte.
Use Sentinel, Eldritch Smite and Pushing Attack to lock them down, knock them prone and push them back.
Hit them harder on their turn via Eldritch Smite, Battle Master Maneuvers and at higher levels Divine Smite.
I believe that all of the above can be used together in a single hit. ...And maybe even with Favored by the Gods if you go with Divine Soul.

So that leaves your turn to do lots and lots of eldritch blasting with help from Action Surge and Quickened Spell.

Other things you can do on you turn...
Cast Hex ....or other spells
Hexblade's Curse
Make a weapon
Second Wind
Lay on Hands
Divine Sense
Get more Sorcerer Points by dumping a spell slot (especially one that comes back after a short rest).
Use Distant Spell on a Green-Flame Blade or Booming Blade for a 10' polearm strike against a force immune foe which I would imagine would qualify for smites and a maneuver.

But what if you get silenced and can't cast Eldritch Blast...?
You still have heavy armor and a martial weapon, go hit something. Hell, hit something three times with action surge and polearm master. Doesn't look like silence would stop curses or smites or maneuvers.


Thanks for the comments - past and future.

[MeeposFire]

You will have lots of stuff you can do but your problem will be that you eat your resources very fast so you will be very dependent on both short and long rests or you will not be able to use your abilities freely.

[Zene]

FYI: Mearls tweets are not Official Rulings. Only Jeremy Crawford’s are.
And JC agrees (https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/580139521498480640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sageadvice.eu%2F2015%2F0 9%2F19%2Fwar-caster-feat%2F).

Good find. One thing to note, though: He clearly specifies this is the intent (RAI), but does not comment/rule here on the RAW. A minor point, but an important distinction to some.

[Jethro]

It seems like a fun build...however, a couple things:

1) Paladin and Fighter is a bit redundant. With Hexblade/Pact of the Blade you don't need the weapon proficiencies. They both grant armor proficiencies. One gives Con saves, the other smites. Sorcerer, however, also gives con saves.

I'd suggest skipping paladin or starting sorcerer for the con saves.

2) Level 4 and 5 warlock spells are pretty dope, specifically I like Shadow of Moil and Cone of Cold. Not to mention the extra invocations. Seems like a lot to lose for a couple extra levels of both Paladin and Fighter.

3) Speaking of Shadow of Moil, darkness is a bitch on teammates. It's not so bad when you're in the back, alone, but Shadow of Moil does the same thing only better.

4) I'd suggest taking Sorcerer (or Fighter) 1, Warlock 2-9, Paladin (or Fighter) 10, Paladin (or Sorcerer) 11, and Sorcerer the rest of the way. That ends with Warlock 8/Sorcerer 10/ Fighter or Paladin 2...that said, personally I'd opt for more Warlock and less Sorcerer. Not sure you really need more than 3-6 levels of sorcerer...

5) After you get Thirsting Blade you can pretty much mix up the when and where for each level...

Have fun!

Edit: I realize not starting Figther means you lose either Heavy Armor prof or Con saves...but with Hexblade I think you can easily lose the Heavy Armor. There's lots of magical means at it's disposal to avoid damage...

[Throne12]

Unholy monster of a build - revision 2

Now with more fun, more master, more dis-function (and Sentinel Feat based on more reasonable recommendations above).
Full disclosure - this is not meant to be an optimal build.

Variant Human - Polearm Master
1 - Fighter 1
Fighting Style - Close Quarters Shooter
2 - Warlock 1
Hexblade
3 - Warlock 2
Agonizing Blast
Repelling Blast
4 - Warlock 3
5 - Warlock 4* Sentinel
6 - Warlock 5
Pact of the Blade
Eldritch Smite
7 - Fighter 2
8 - Fighter 3
Battle Master
Pushing Attack
Riposte
Precision Attack
Artisan Tool - Poisoner’s Kit
9 - Fighter 4* +2 CHA
10 - Sorcerer 1
Shadow Magic
(or Divine Soul - Favored by the Gods)
11 - Sorcerer 2
12 - Sorcerer 3
Quickened Spell
Distant Spell
13 - Sorcerer 4* +2 CHA
14 - Paladin 1
15 - Paladin 2
Fighting - Style Defense
16 - Sorcerer 5
17 - Sorcerer 6
18 - Sorcerer 7
19 - Sorcerer 8* +2 CON/Feat?
20 - Sorcerer 9

Hit them on their turn via Polearm Master, Sentinel or Riposte.
Use Sentinel, Eldritch Smite and Pushing Attack to lock them down, knock them prone and push them back.
Hit them harder on their turn via Eldritch Smite, Battle Master Maneuvers and at higher levels Divine Smite.
I believe that all of the above can be used together in a single hit. ...And maybe even with Favored by the Gods if you go with Divine Soul.

So that leaves your turn to do lots and lots of eldritch blasting with help from Action Surge and Quickened Spell.

Other things you can do on you turn...
Cast Hex ....or other spells
Hexblade's Curse
Make a weapon
Second Wind
Lay on Hands
Divine Sense
Get more Sorcerer Points by dumping a spell slot (especially one that comes back after a short rest).
Use Distant Spell on a Green-Flame Blade or Booming Blade for a 10' polearm strike against a force immune foe which I would imagine would qualify for smites and a maneuver.

But what if you get silenced and can't cast Eldritch Blast...?
You still have heavy armor and a martial weapon, go hit something. Hell, hit something three times with action surge and polearm master. Doesn't look like silence would stop curses or smites or maneuvers.


Thanks for the comments - past and future.

Ok first you'll only have up to 5th level spell slots but you will only be able to learn 4th or lower spells thanks to that 2 levels in paladin.
Second sorcerery points have a high cost to use so if your using all your slots for smithing you can turn them into sp or use them for spells.
Third if your tripping people with your reaction the using your main action on casting eldritch blast. It doesn't matter if you have close Quarter combat style. All range attacks have Disadvantage on prone targets. So that fighting style is pointless. Because if your just going to stand behind the frontliner why need it you'll be out of melee range.

Why not just play a dragon sorcerer hexblade? You get dragon scales AC 13+dex and you always have that even while your sleeping so if you get woken up you don't have to spend 10 mins putting on your heavy armor and You get con saves. Hexblade give you weapon prof and when you go pact of tge blade you can use Charisma instead of STR with the polearm. You get spells like smites, armor of agathy, Hellish rebuke, and others. If you want to use EB in melee range pick up the feat crossbow expert. For tripping people you give up a attack to push prone someone so instead of hitting on AoO just trip. If you are just looking to push people around then your best tool is repelling blast invocation.

Con's
1. You'll be Dex and cha based so good dex for thoes fireballs and Initiative.
2. Have con saves so you can keep that spell going.
3. you will have 8th level spell.
4. Good amount of sorcerery points to use.
5. You can have 3 attacks if you pick up Pam, and the extra attack invocation.
6. Not some crazy 4 class muiltclass that you have to explain to your DM how your a fighter but a paladin that has sorcerer blood but made a pact with so talking sword that's from the shadow realm. But my god or my oaths are totally ok with me making a pact with negative energy beans.

[DivisibleByZero]

Good find. One thing to note, though: He clearly specifies this is the intent (RAI), but does not comment/rule here on the RAW. A minor point, but an important distinction to some.

That's right. It's the RAI.
And to many people, this is more important than the RAW.
To many people, the reason they wrote the rules and the way they intended the rules to be used is more important than the words they used when they actually wrote it.
No rules get written or included without a reason. If the designers specify exactly what that reason was or exactly what they intended the rule to convey, many people believe that communication should carry more weight than the legalese.

[Remover of Obst]

Thanks Throne12 for the reply. Your build probably could be a separate thread as I think it is different enough to warrant a full write up or maybe as a variant to the Warlock 2 - Sorcerer 18 full metal meta caster (dex with shield and medium armor).



All range attacks have Disadvantage on prone targets.
Prone
A prone creature’s only Movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
The creature has disadvantage on Attack rolls.
An Attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the Attack roll has disadvantage.

Point of clarification and a follow up question to that.
It looks like you can still make a ranged attack with advantage from 5' if you have Close Quarters Shooter or Crossbow Expert.
I am assuming that the "can" wording in repelling blast would allow you to opt to not push a target hit by eldritch blast unless you want to. Am I reading that correctly?



6. Not some crazy 4 class muiltclass that you have to explain to your DM how your a fighter but a paladin that has sorcerer blood but made a pact with so talking sword that's from the shadow realm. But my god or my oaths are totally ok with me making a pact with negative energy beans.

Thank you for bringing this up.
Definitely a lot of classes used, but thematically I think it stays very close to the Hexblade - Raven Queen theme. I would see generic, un-oathed paladin and sorcerer-shadow magic or divine soul to be disciple/acolyte of the Raven Queen. Agreed, Draconic, Storm, Phoenix, etc would seem very odd. Fighter levels would be a character spending more time training in weapon combat instead of advancing their spell casting abilities.

Does this seem reasonable to DMs out there?
Are there DMs in 5e that restrict casters to only radiant or necrotic? Seems like the spell lists are very open concerning typing with the character being stronger in what they specialize in.

[Remover of Obst]

If the designers specify exactly what that reason was or exactly what they intended the rule to convey, many people believe that communication should carry more weight than the legalese.

Let's continue to follow this and assume that Polearm master will mean using a polearm to hit.
It will probably be better accepted by everyone at the table.

When in doubt ask you DM.

[Remover of Obst]

3) Speaking of Shadow of Moil, darkness is a bitch on teammates. It's not so bad when you're in the back, alone, but Shadow of Moil does the same thing only better.


I was planning on running a lot of Hex.

Shadow of Moil seems pretty nice, but kind of expensive for a 10 round concentration. Advantage/Disadvantage is always handy.
Definitely worth considering.

Thank you for recommending it.

[Remover of Obst]

Update for maximum reaction weapon hit.

If your table allows Unearthed Arcana, you can take Stone Sorcerer and pick up Stone Aegis at S6. The Stone Aegis puts a small damage reduction shield on one allied creature and allows you to use your reaction to teleport to the attacker that you can see within 60' and make a melee attack and add 1d10 force damage (2d10 at 11, 3d10 at 17) to the hit.

So...

Weapon Damage +
Eldritch Smite___4d8
Divine Smite____5d8
Battlemaster____1d8
Stone Aegis_____3d10
Bonus points if you have Hex and Hexblade's Curse active (crit on 19 and 20) and a Staff of Striking.

Now at 17 you only have one 4th level spell slot, three 3rd, three 2nd, four 1st and two Warlock 3rd.